Activity evaluation sensor systems and methods

Abstract

Systems and methods are discussed for providing sensor enhanced safety, recovery, and activity evaluation systems. Sensors that monitor user activity and behavior are worn by a user and/or placed in the user environment. Data from the sensors are processed to obtain a safety, recovery, and/or activity evaluation. Based on the evaluation, recommendations or adjustments to the terms of an insurance policy covering the user, the user's employer, or a facility providing health care to the user, are generated, to accurately reflect the risks associated with the user, employer, and/or facility. In embodiments, an alert may be generated when a failure to conform with activity guidelines is detected.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An activity evaluation system, comprising:
 a communications device configured to receive sensor data based on at least one sensor proximate to an individual associated with and distinct from a covered entity; 
 a data storage device storing at least one activity guideline associated with the individual; 
 an activity evaluation module configured to:
 collect the sensor data from the at least one sensor; 
 analyze the collected sensor data to determine activity characteristics of the individual; and 
 output an activity evaluation based on the activity characteristics and the at least one stored activity guideline; 
 
 a computer hardware server, in communication with the communications device, the data storage device, and the activity evaluation module, and operated by a risk management entity remote from the at least one sensor, configured to:
 receive one or both of the collected data and the activity evaluation; 
 adjust data corresponding to a parameter of a risk management policy covering the covered entity based on the one or both of the collected sensor data and the activity evaluation, wherein the computer hardware server is configured to adjust the data corresponding to the parameter so as to provide an adjustment favorable to the covered entity responsive to the one or both of collected sensor data and the activity evaluation being indicative of conformance by the individual with the at least one activity guideline; and 
 responsive to the one or both of collected sensor data and the activity evaluation being indicative of non-conformance by the individual with the at least one activity guideline, transmit a notification to one of a computing device of the covered entity or a device of the individual. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the individual associated with and distinct from the covered entity comprises an employee of the covered entity returning from an injury;
 wherein the at least one activity guideline comprises a recovery plan prescribed for the employee; 
 wherein the sensor data comprises data indicative of one or more of body movement, body orientation, frequency of movement, duration of movement, movement distance, and calories expended, calculated based upon raw sensor data; and 
 wherein the computer hardware server is further configured to determine conformance or non-conformance by the individual with the at least one activity guideline, the determining comprising determining, based on the sensor data, whether the employee has conformed with the recovery plan prescribed for the employee. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the raw sensor data comprises data obtained from one or more three-axis accelerometers worn by the employee; and
 wherein the computer hardware server is further configured to:
 calculate a frequency of movement based on a series of the sensor data received from the one or more three-axis accelerometers; and 
 calculate a duration of movement based on a weighted average of movements over time identified in the series of the sensor data; 
 wherein the computer hardware server is configured to adjust the data corresponding to the parameter of the risk management policy based upon the calculated frequency of movement and the calculated duration of movement. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the individual associated with and distinct from the covered entity comprises an employee of the covered entity;
 wherein the sensor data comprises one or more of RFID scanner data, GPS data, and photo recognition data corresponding to the employee; 
 wherein the at least one activity guideline comprises workplace safety guidelines at a workplace of the covered entity; 
 wherein the computer hardware server is further configured to determine conformance or non-conformance by the individual with the at least one activity guideline, the determining comprising determining whether the employee is wearing personal protective equipment in a hazardous area designated at the workplace. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the RFID scanner data comprises data indicative of whether RFID-tagged personal protective equipment was sensed in an area of the workplace accessed by the employee. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the notification comprises an alert, and wherein transmitting the alert to the computing device of the covered entity comprises transmitting the alert to one or more of an audio buzzer at the workplace of the covered entity configured to output an audio signal responsive to receipt of the alert, a flashing light at the workplace configured to flash responsive to receipt of the alert, and a vibrating device worn by the employee configured to vibrate responsive to receipt of the alert. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the individual associated with and distinct from the covered entity comprises a patient at a health care facility;
 wherein the at least one activity guideline comprises prescribed motion for the patient; 
 wherein the sensor data comprises data indicative of one or more of horizontal body positions, vertical body positions, turning of a body, twisting of a body, sitting postures, and standing postures calculated based upon raw sensor data; 
 wherein the computer hardware server is further configured to determine conformance or non-conformance by the individual with the at least one activity guideline, the determining comprising determining whether the prescribed motion for the patient has been performed; and 
 wherein transmitting the notification to the covered entity comprises, responsive to a negative determination that the prescribed motion for the patient has been performed, transmitting the notification to a user terminal at the health care facility. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the raw sensor data comprises data obtained from one or more of wearable sensors worn by the patient, and cameras and motion sensors at the health care facility. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the computing device of the covered entity or the computer hardware server comprises the activity evaluation module. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises one of a sensor worn by the individual, a sensor on a piece of equipment, a gyroscopic sensor, an accelerometer, a motion sensor, a pressure sensor, a chemical sensor, and a GPS sensor. 
     
     
       11. A computer-implemented method for activity evaluation, comprising:
 receiving, by a communications device, sensor data based on at least one sensor proximate to an individual associated with and distinct from a covered entity; 
 collecting, by an activity evaluation module, the sensor data; 
 analyzing, by the activity evaluation module, the collected sensor data to determine activity characteristics of the individual; 
 outputting, by the activity evaluation module, an activity evaluation based on the activity characteristics; 
 receiving, by a computer hardware server in communication with the communications device, a data storage device storing at least one activity guideline associated with the individual, and the activity evaluation module, and operated by a risk management entity remote from the at least one sensor, the collected sensor data and the activity evaluation; 
 responsive to the one or both of collected sensor data and the activity evaluation being indicative of conformance by the individual with the at least one activity guideline stored in the data storage device, adjusting, by the computer hardware server, data corresponding to a parameter of a risk management policy so as to provide an adjustment favorable to the covered entity; and 
 responsive to the one or both of collected sensor data and the activity evaluation being indicative of conformance by the individual with the at least one activity guideline being indicative of non-conformance with the at least one activity guideline stored in the data storage device, transmitting, by the computer hardware server, a notification to one of a computing device of the covered entity or a device of the individual. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the individual associated with and distinct from the covered entity comprises an employee of the covered entity returning from an injury;
 wherein the at least one activity guideline comprises a recovery plan prescribed for the employee; 
 wherein the sensor data comprises data indicative of one or more of body movement, body orientation, frequency of movement, duration of movement, movement distance, and calories expended, calculated based upon raw sensor data; 
 further comprising determining by the computer hardware server conformance or non-conformance by the individual with the at least one activity guideline, the determining comprising determining, based on the sensor data, whether the employee has conformed with the recovery plan prescribed for the employee; and 
 wherein transmitting the notification comprises transmitting the notification to the computing device of the covered entity, responsive to a negative determination that the employee has conformed with the recovery plan. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the individual associated with and distinct from the covered entity comprises an employee of the covered entity;
 wherein the sensor data comprises one or more of RFID scanner data, GPS data, and photo recognition data corresponding to the employee; 
 wherein the at least one activity guideline comprises workplace safety guidelines at a workplace of the covered entity; 
 further comprising determining, by the computer hardware server, conformance or non-conformance by the individual with the at least one activity guideline, the determining comprising determining whether the employee is wearing personal protective equipment in a hazardous area designated at the workplace; and 
 wherein transmitting the notification comprises transmitting the notification to the computing device of the covered entity, responsive to a negative determination that the employee is wearing personal protective equipment in the hazardous area. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , wherein the notification comprises an alert, and wherein transmitting the alert to the computing device of the covered entity comprises transmitting the alert to one of more of an audio buzzer at the workplace configured to output an audio signal responsive to receipt of the alert, a flashing light at the workplace configured to flash responsive to receipt of the alert, and a vibrating device worn by the employee configured to vibrate responsive to receipt of the alert. 
     
     
       15. The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the individual associated with and distinct from the covered entity comprises a patient at a health care facility;
 wherein the at least one activity guideline comprises prescribed motion for the patient; 
 wherein the sensor data comprises data indicative of one or more of horizontal body positions, vertical body positions, turning of a body, twisting of a body, sitting postures, and standing postures calculated based upon raw sensor data; 
 further comprising determining, by the computer hardware server, conformance or non-conformance by the individual with the at least one activity guideline comprises determining, based on the sensor data, whether the prescribed motion for the patient has been performed; and 
 wherein transmitting the alert to the computing device of the covered entity comprises, responsive to a negative determination that the prescribed motion for the patient has been performed, transmitting the alert to a user terminal at the health care facility. 
 
     
     
       16. The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor data comprises one or both of raw sensor data directly from the at least one sensor configured to monitor activity of the individual and preprocessed sensor data based on the raw sensor data from the at least one sensor.